Spring into the New Season!

It’s officially coming up to the end of Winter, and a new season is finally upon us. Spring is well known as the start of new beginnings, “out with old, in with the new” and of course, the spring clean! But this way of thinking shouldn’t just be applicable to the everyday tasks such as housework, it is the perfect time to make some real changes in all aspects of your life. One of the most important? Your job and career. So how does one go about kicking off their springtime job hunt?

First up is the CV spring clean. When was the last time you updated it? Chances are a while ago, and even if it was relatively recent you can never keep it “too up to date”. Try to keep it as relevant to the job roles you are applying. If it is getting a little long, take off the roles that just aren’t adding value anymore. Those 2 weeks of work experience you did in Secondary School or your first glass collecting job may not be required anymore for your next job step.

Take a look at the formatting. Is it legible? Does it read well? Is your work history in the correct reverse-chronological order? Before you start distributing your CV out everywhere, make sure it has had a thorough spring clean!

Next you need to freshen up your interview technique. It might have been a long time since your last one, or maybe you have recently been to so many interviews you have lost count but are getting nowhere. Either way, objectively looking at how you have approached interviews in the past and switching it up is going to be important in securing your next role. Some of the things that you can do to ensure you make maximum impact is dressing accordingly. Not only will you create a great impression but dressing well is a proven method of making yourself appear confident which will no doubt come through during the interview.

You should rehearse as much as possible, which may sound impossible to do but there are things you can do. Try using the aid of others such as friends in a roleplay scenario or even just answering questions aloud by yourself from your own written down notes.

Take a brand new approach. Do something in your next job search that you have never done before. Go beyond your comfort zone and leave your limitations behind. How you take your approach is completely down to the type of role and sector. If you are looking for sales, marketing and management roles then you should ensure you look at local (and not so local) networking events. Using online networks such as LinkedIn is a great place to connect with people who will know the best networking events you want to be going to.

If you are in the temporary working sectors, one of the best things you can do is try to grow your skill set. So take sideways steps or even totally different directions and add another string to your bow.

So spring into the new season now and get yourself that new role you want!